


The End of the Beginning

by onekisstotakewithme



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Kate Lives, Kibbs, McLilah, TIVA - Freeform, post Tony leaving
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-07-25 21:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7547788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onekisstotakewithme/pseuds/onekisstotakewithme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When DiNozzo gets his happily ever after, there is once again a vacancy on Team Gibbs. And it's hard to find someone to step into his movie-referencing overgrown frat boy shoes. That is, until a certain brunette walks into the bullpen, and steps back into the lives of those she once knew. Kate Todd is back, and has grown up. AU, slow burn Kibbs, Katelives! McLilah. Updated Fridays (or when the author feels like it)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flootzavut](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flootzavut/gifts), [Rinari7](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinari7/gifts).



Tony DiNozzo was sitting at his desk, and thinking, staring deep in thought at the phone. Zoe was supposed to be calling in any minute now.

The phone rang, and he looked around the nearly empty bullpen. McGee had already left for the day, and Ellie was downstairs talking to Ducky. Gibbs was at his desk, growling at his computer for only the tenth time that day.

He answered, “Very Special Agent DiNozzo speaking,”

“Hey Tony,”

“Zoe, hey. What’s going on?”

“I was wondering if we’re still on for tonight?”

“Of course….” But as he spoke he looked across the bullpen and frowned, watching as Gibbs stood up in surprise, looking over Tony’s shoulder.

He put on his usual cocky grin, expecting the Director to be waiting with a lecture, but it wasn’t the Director.

Because who was waiting for him, but Ziva David herself. In the flesh, leaning on the wall of his cubicle.

“Zoe- I gotta go. I’ll talk to you… later.” He hung up, and Ziva- _his_ Ziva- grinned.

“Were you having phone sex?” she asked.

And he nearly smiled. But he simply said “If it isn’t Miss David herself.”

She walked around the wall, and he looked at her. Thinner, and tired, but with a smile that still melted his defenses.

“Hello Tony,” she said, but she was distracted by someone.

Gibbs, his voice gruff, as though he was close to tears, “Ziver,”

“Hello Gibbs,” she said, turning to him.

He seemed almost disbelieving that his former agent was standing in front of him, “What are you doing here Ziver?” But he still pulled her into a hug.

“I came back, to see everyone. But I see that you two are the only ones here.”

Tony stood up, and wondered if it was nostalgia he was seeing in Ziva’s eyes as she stared around the bullpen. Though it was hideous, and still painted orange, it was like a second home to the two of them. In more ways than one.

He knew in that second what he had to do, “How long are you staying, Ziva?”

“Not long,” she said, and smiled gently, “Long enough to see my family.”

“I’ll call Tim,” Tony said, picking up the phone again, but she reached over, taking it, and putting it back down, the smell of sandalwood drifting into his nose, but there was something different about her this time around.

“Don’t bother, I would not want to disturb him.”

“Ziva…. He’d want to see you.”

“I’m sure he will have other opportunities.”

“It’s uh….” He was short on words for once, reduced to a teenage boy trying to talk to his crush again, “It’s been a few years.”

“I had things I needed to work out. My feelings. About the job. About… people,” she refused to meet his eye. His ninja. Back again.

“And what did you find out about those feelings, Ziva?” he asked, not breaking eye contact.

“Feelings are still there, Tony. I can no longer push them to the side.”

He reached out and took her hand, expecting her to flinch at the sudden contact, but she didn’t. With his other hand, he reached into his drawer and pulled out the necklace.

Her necklace.

“I believe you’ll be wanting this back, Ziva,” He held it up, and then placed it in her palm.

“You kept it,” he could almost see tears in her eyes, but she didn’t betray them.

“You know me, not good at letting go,” He said.

Then he turned to Gibbs, “Boss…?”

“Go, you don’t need to be here.”

“I promise I’ll come back tomorrow and explain to Ellie, and to Tim.”

“Feel free, but Tony?”

He turned, as he and Ziva started walking out of the office, “Yeah boss?”

“Don’t make the same mistake you did before.”

“Oh trust me,” he looked down at Ziva, “I don’t intend to.”

**XNCISX**

Tony walked into the office the next morning with a surprise for everyone- Ziva in tow. She hadn’t left yet, but she still hesitated when she saw that all three desks besides Tony’s were full.

Ellie looked up, “Morning Tony-,” but paused when she looked at the mysterious woman by his side.

Tim was staring at his computer when he heard the pause in her voice. As soon as he looked up, he smiled in relief, and jumped to his feet, “Ziva!” he cried, and didn’t let the fact that he was running across the bullpen and embarrassing himself stop him from launching himself at her.

She embraced him back, “Hello McGee.”

“It’s so good to see you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. _You’re not just any partner, McGee._ The words still echoed in his head when he couldn’t sleep sometimes, and to have his friend- his _partner_ \- back in his arms was surreal, “When did you get here?”

“Yesterday, but I was busy talking with Tony.”

He released her, “You look good Ziva.”

“So do you, McGee. Very good.”

The sight of her and Tony together brought a lump to McGee’s throat. It was almost like old times, but Gibbs wasn’t barking about a case, and Ellie… _Ellie_ was still there.

“Ziva, this is Ellie Bishop. Bishop, this is Ziva. Our friend and former colleague.”

“Hi,” Ellie said, smiling and holding out her hand, not sensing any threat to her job security. It was clear to everyone that Ziva hadn’t come back to fill a position, “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Really?” she looked between her three former co-workers, and knew. Of course they would discuss her in her absence. They were a team after all.

“Yeah of course,” she smiled again, but looked over at Tony nervously, “Especially from Tony. He had lots of good things to say about you!”

She smirked over at him, and watched as he nervously ruffled his hair, “Maybe,” he admitted sheepishly, “But Bishop, now you’re destroying my reputation!”

“Ehh,” she waved a hand.

“Has anyone told Abby you’re back? Or Ducky?” Tim asked, reaching for his phone, “Because if Abby finds out you were here and didn’t tell her-,”

“ZIVA!” And there she was, a hundred-odd pounds of pure bubbly excitement and love, all launching her at Ziva in equal measures.

Gibbs was standing there, when Ducky walked in and froze, “My dear,” he managed, looking at Ziva, “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

“Hello Ducky, and Abby,” she managed from Abby’s tight embrace.

“Boss, I think you know what’s going to happen next,” Tony said, as he walked over to Gibbs’ desk.

“I think I do, DiNozzo. Remember what I said last night. About mistakes, and repeating them.”

Tony looked over at Ziva, then placed his badge and his gun on his desk, looked over at Tim and said, “I’ll keep in touch.”

“What?” Tim and Ellie said at the same time. But Ducky and Abby seemed slightly less stunned.

“Boss, sorry for the short notice, but I can’t do this again.”

Gibbs nodded, “You take care DiNozzo, and look after Ziver. And yourself.”

“Thank you boss,” he turned, and started walking away, still facing Gibbs and Tim, but then cleared his throat,

“Easiest 180 of my life.”

And then he slung an arm around Ziva and walked out of the bullpen.


	2. Chapter 2

“Nice of Tony to leave us all the work of finding his replacement without his help,” Ellie grumbled, as she looked through the stack of prospective candidates.

Tim just didn’t blink, continuing to sort through the pages upon pages of candidates, “Did you get his email?”

“The one saying _we’re heading back to Israel, have a nice life_? Yeah, I got it,” Ellie sighed, “For some reason I miss him.”

“You miss being called Probie?” Tim asked.

“You do that too, it’s not exclusive to Tony, McGee,” she rolled her eyes as she said it.

“Any progress?” Gibbs asked, walking past with a fresh cup of coffee. For someone who’d kissed his senior and best agent good-bye, he didn’t seem remotely upset this morning.

But that was Gibbs, unflappable as ever.

“Now who is he going to smack on the head?” Ellie muttered to Tim, before glancing over at Gibbs. She cringed as she saw he was staring back, eyebrow raised. He didn’t seem pissed off.

“You okay boss?” Tim said, looking over when he realized Ellie had been caught.

“I asked if we had progress.”

“No, there is no one I would want to be on this team,” Ellie said.

“Tim?” Gibbs asked.

“I have a candidate, but-,”

“Then get them him in for an interview.”

“It’s a _she_ actually, and boss I’m not entirely sure she’ll need an interview.”

“But don’t we need to see how she works with the team?” Ellie asked.

“No,” Tim said, “She’s worked with the team before.” There was significant heaviness in his voice, and a note of- was that fear?- that Ellie didn’t hear often.

Gibbs leaned forward, “McGee, I’d suggest you stop talking in riddles and hand over the file.”

“Sure boss.” He handed over the file, and Gibbs opened it. Every emotion possible crossed his usually blank face, in a way Ellie hadn’t seen before.

It was the look of someone confronted with old ghosts.

“Should I call her in?” Tim asked.

“Who is it?” Ellie asked, curious and more than a little irritated now. Sure, Tim could be a bit mysterious and Gibbs was a total mystery, but usually they explained a little faster before she got _this_ confused. Was it Hollis Mann? Abigail Borin? Who?

“Call her in, and have her come in tomorrow,” Gibbs said, and he tossed the file down on his desk, as his phone rang. He answered, and Tim used the fact that he was distracted to go and grab his backpack, anticipating a case.

Ellie sighed and rolled her eyes, pushing aside the stack of folders. Well if Tim and Gibbs had such a good candidate why were they playing the “mystery game” about it?

“We’ve got a case in Falls Church, grab your gear,” He said, tossing the keys to Tim, “Bishop, call Ducky.”

“On it,” she said, and noticed that Gibbs and Tim were moving faster than usual. She guessed by the way they were avoiding meeting her gaze that it was something to do with their inability to communicate. She knew that Tony would have been blunt- if a little annoying- and tell her what was going on with his team leaders. Unless this person would throw _him_ into a trance too.

She glanced at the folder and resisted the urge to go and take a peek at their candidate.

She’d have to find out tomorrow.

**XNCISX**

“Our man had a bit of a problem with his savings.”

“What kind of problem?” Gibbs asked,

“A gambling addiction that was draining his funds, along with a fondness for strippers and expensive clothes,” she hit the clicker, and his back records appeared on the plasma.

“When Abby and I looked at his computer, it was interesting, he was on multiple dating sites, but the night he died, he was supposed to be going out with someone from an escort service- if you believe his roommate.”

“How credible is the roommate?”

“Not very credible. He was nursing a hangover,” McGee winced, as Gibbs frowned.

“Is that all we’ve got?”

“We have the name of the escort service,” he said, taking the clicker from Ellie, and putting it up on the screen, “And the name of the restaurant where they were meeting.”

Gibbs checked his watch, “When’s our candidate coming in?”

“Any minute now, boss.”

“Okay then, Bishop, you’re going to meet her, and then McGee, Bishop, you’re heading to interview those escorts, see if any of them remember our Marine.”

“Boss,” Tim said, nodding towards the elevator.

Ellie turned and looked, craning her neck for a look at the new girl.

Who wasn’t a girl at all.

Long legs, long brown hair, brown eyes, freckles, all wrapped in a package of the confidence of someone who is familiar with their environment.

And for some reason, Ellie recognized her from somewhere. But where?

She looked at Gibbs and Tim for some kind of visual clues, but Tim was grinning, while Gibbs looked… kind of stunned.

And then the woman reached them, and said “You know, you shouldn’t stare like that. It’s creepy, and what I would’ve expected from Tony, not from the two of you.”

Tim smiled, “Hi Kate.”

Gibbs nodded at her, “Agent Todd.”

And then it hit Ellie where she knew Kate from. A photo hanging in Abby’s lab of this strange brunette. Abby got all sad when Ellie asked about her, then said she was a friend, one who’d “gone away for awhile.”

And then she turned to Ellie. Ellie tensed a bit, awaiting a fight but then Agent Todd smiled, and Ellie relaxed a little.

Agent Todd held out her hand, “Hi, I’m Kate Todd.”

“Ellie Bishop.”

“I see you got my old desk.” She said, looking over, smiling fondly at the desk in question.

“Yeah, it was the vacant one when I arrived.”

“Because of Ziva leaving.”

Ellie and Tim exchanged a surprised glance, before Agent Todd rolled her eyes.

“Seriously McGee, don’t look so surprised. Abby keeps me well informed.”

“Okay, now that you two have met,” Gibbs gestured a little too exuberantly between them, “McGee, Bishop you were heading out?”

“Yes boss,” McGee headed for the elevator, before stopping suddenly so Ellie almost ran into him, and turned, “Nice to have you back, Kate.”

“Gibbs still has to hire me,” she replied, smirking, even though she must have known he was standing beside her.

“Well see you later,” Ellie said to Kate, and then followed Tim out.

Kate was left standing with Gibbs, and for a second they stood in silence. “I didn’t think you’d actually consider hiring me again. Considering I jumped ship.” She said.

“Had a good reason, Kate.”

She looked around, and he could actually see that she’d missed them, “I’d forgotten how _orange_ these walls are.”

He paused and realized what she must be wanting to say. _I missed all of you._ “You remember the way to the lab?”

“It’s ingrained in my mind,” she reassured him, “That where we’re heading?”

“Yeah. Brace yourself.”

“For Abby? I can take her.”

He looked down, “You look…. Older.”

“What woman doesn’t want to hear that, Gibbs?” she asked sarcastically, but he remembered that she wasn’t actually annoyed, it was just… her. Kate. Back.

“Haven’t hired you yet Agent Todd, so I’d watch yourself.”

“Well you look older too, but you mostly look the same to me. Same haircut, same evil eye.” He laughed a little and her smile faltered, “Yeah you haven’t changed much, Gibbs.”

“That an insult?”

“I haven’t decided,” she shot back, “Now come on, you said you had lab results to attend to?”

Rolling his eyes he fell back in step with her for the first time in ten years.

**XNCISX**

As they were driving, Tim was getting a little bit annoyed with Ellie’s questions, which were continuous and required explanations he didn’t want to give.

“Why is she back?”

“I don’t know, Bishop. She’s just… back.”

“But if she left ten years ago, what was she doing? Who was she working for?”

“NCIS, Homeland…. I’m pretty certain she did some undercover work around the world. Remember our conversation about deep undercover work?”

“Yeah we had a few of them. I was hoping that Gibbs wouldn’t send me on them because- well, I was married. I guess that means I’m not immune anymore. Why did Gibbs look so concerned when she walked in?”

“Because she took a bullet for him, and then walked off the team as soon as she could move. It’s a bit of a sore spot for him I’d guess.”

“You all must have missed her.”

“Of course we missed her. I haven’t seen her in ten years but she could probably still kick my ass.” He grumbled.

“She used to be able to kick your ass?” she asked, a little surprised.

“Keep in mind, Bishop, that I was a chubby little Probie, and she was a former member of the US Secret Service. Of course she could kick my ass. She could kick my ass into next week and actually had the opportunity once or twice.”

“Sounds like you were quite the team back then.”

“Yeah her and Tony spent their time bickering, listening to Gibbs, solving cases and one-upping each other, in between annoying the Probie- me.”

“But what’s her deal with Gibbs? Was it smart to leave them alone together?”

“Let me just say they kind of- Tony told me this, I wasn’t part of the team when she joined- they clashed when they first worked together, but he offered her a job, and she took it.”

“So it shook you all up?”

“Yeah. At least it’ll be nice to have her back, she had some good profile training. And her drawing-,” he realized what he was saying and shut up.

“So not smart to leave her and Gibbs alone?”

“Bishop, I can’t- she and Gibbs got along fine, we were all hurt when she left, basically- we were a team, she walked away. Just like Ziva did. And now like Tony has. But unlike Ziva, she came back. We’re here.”

He got out of the car, thinking about how just how much had happened since Kate had walked away.

This was either going to be perfect or a disaster.

Or he reflected wryly, like much of Team Gibbs, it could be **the** perfect disaster.


	3. Three

There was knocking at her door, and she was still half-asleep.

Kate Todd stumbled out of bed, and padded out of her bedroom towards the door of her new apartment. When she opened the door, she wasn’t sure if she’d fallen into a dream or a nightmare.

Because who would be leaning against her doorframe but Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself?

She could’ve sworn she saw him hesitate when he saw she was in her pajamas but he recovered, “Morning Agent Todd, I came to pick you up for work.”

She yawned, not bothering with a snappy answer, “You’ll have to let me get dressed first, Gibbs. Come on in. Isn’t this a little early, even for you?”

“It isn’t early. Besides we’re stopping for coffee.”

She frowned, but brushed it off. Of course it wasn’t anything important. “Ever do this for Bishop and Ziva?” she asked a little challengingly.

He sighed, “I came to welcome you back to the team, Kate. Not to pick a fight.”

She realized she’d tensed, but there was something about the way his voice softened when he said her name that made her lose her defenses immediately.

It was just Gibbs being Gibbs.

It didn’t stop her from feeling inferior. Ziva David had been on the team a lot longer than she had.

But then, she reminded herself as she got dressed, she was the one who walked away. From the team.

From Gibbs himself.

When she walked back out, ready for work, he smirked a little, “Surprised that you’re not in some prissy little suit, Agent Todd.”

“I’ve grown up, Gibbs,” she warned, “Now come on,”

“Don’t you wanna eat somethin’?” he asked.

“Not really, knowing your driving. How’d you get my address?” She was not immune to his usual Gibbsian gruff charms. But she knew that he wasn’t as all-knowing as he liked to think.

“I’m your boss, Kate. It’s important I know where you live. Now let’s go. Coffee awaits.”

“You’ve clearly already had at least one.”

“And why would you think that?”

“Because you’re actually smiling at me.”

He scowled at that, “Let’s go, Kate.”

She locked the apartment and followed him down the stairs to his car. She watched him from behind, unable to stop herself musing over how much… older he looked. He wasn’t old, not in the slightest- at least not to her- but she’d seen younger men drop dead with no warning before.

He turned, “I know a place that serves great coffee.”

She rolled her eyes at his childish smile, “Of course you do.”

Some things never changed, so it seemed.

**XNCISX**

Once they were seated in the dinner, and Gibbs had a cup of coffee in front of him, he smirked across the table, “You look a little more awake.”

“So do you,” she replied, “What happened to that one place you used to get coffee?”

“Too many memories,” he said simply.

And the familiar pang of guilt arrived. “Gibbs, there were so many times.. I wanted to call, to come back…”

“To come home,” he said simply.

“Yeah.” She looked down at her hands, clutching her coffee mug. Maybe DC wasn’t her home, but she had never put down roots. With the work she’d been doing, it simply wasn’t safe enough to make connections.

“And here it’s been ten years and you’re back. You came back, Katie,” the words slipped out, and they both look surprised.

She cleared her throat, and the moment disappeared, “Is there anything major I missed? Abby tried to keep me updated but I moved around so much that I didn’t get much news.”

“A couple of terrorists. You didn’t get to meet my ex-wives.”

She chuckled, “I think that’s something I don’t mind avoiding.”

His smile faded into a thoughtful expression- she’d seen it before, but now it looked closer to something else, almost like regret.

“Kate, not much has changed.”

“Abby told me Palmer got married, and has a baby.”

“Victoria,” he smiled a little, “You did miss a lot Kate. And yet you’re here…..” he trailed off, “It’s been awhile but how was it working the case with us yesterday?”

“I’m so rusty, I feel like I did the first time I had to ask Tony why he was taking sketches.”

“Didn’t he show you a swimsuit model and question your judgement?”

“Yeah, right around the time you threatened to hijack Air Force One, and I threw up in an evidence bag,” she replied, “Not the best of memories.”

He chuckled, remember how green she’d been- in more ways than one, “You accepted my job offer… I believe that’s twice now.”

“I have to settle the score someday” she said.

“You settled it when ya pushed me outta the way of that bullet, Kate.”

“And then proceeded to walk off the team as soon as I could move.”

“You were hurt. And scared,” he looked down into his coffee, as if surprised he was managing to hold a conversation with her that wasn’t about work.

She was a little surprised herself, but had to remember exactly what she loved about working for NCIS. Most days it hadn’t been the adrenaline rush, or the feelings of helping people, but the little things like watching Tony and McGee actually get along, or listening to Ducky’s stories, or watching Gibbs and Abby signing to each other in the lab. NCIS had been her family.

“It was no excuse,” she cleared her throat, “It was unprofessional at best.”

He laughed, “Since when has Caitlin Todd _really_ cared about being professional?”

She sighed, and smiled after a minute. Yes, she had missed this team. Maybe it had taken her awhile to come back but she had missed it just the same.

“Well Gibbs, like I said, I grew up.”

He nodded in agreement, “You and everyone else. Except me. I just got old.”

She chuckled a little, at his usual self-deprecating brand of humor, “You didn’t get that much older.”

And immediately wished she hadn’t said anything, because he raised an eyebrow, “ _That_ much older?”

“I- you- you know what I meant,” she frowned, and he smirked.

“Ah Kate, you’re turning red.”

“That’s because you’re annoying me!” she spluttered, “And to think I actually missed the team!”

He paused, “So you did miss us, huh Kate?”

“Of course I did! All those empty nights, I was dying to come back to you!” She realized that in saying _you_ she should have specified she meant _the team_ and not Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself.

He moved his hand, and she thought he might be wanting to hold her hand.

But he wouldn’t…. would he? He hesitated, and then-

“Boss?”

She swivelled in her seat to see McGee. _Damn it._ His timing hadn’t improved during her absence. And yet he wasn’t alone. He was with a woman in a wheelchair, who was actually quite pretty, and who looked at her in curiosity.

“Morning McGee,” Gibbs said, and then smiled when he saw who Tim was accompanied by, “Mornin’ Delilah. Been a while.”

“Been busy,” she said, but she was smiling, before looking at Kate, “Aren’t you going to introduce me Gibbs, or have you forgotten your manners?”

Kate was a little surprised that anyone could talk to Gibbs (except Abby and Ducky) and get away with it. But Gibbs merely smiled at the woman, _Delilah_ he’d called her, “Delilah, if you wanted an introduction, you could ask.”

“I told you we had a new team member,” McGee said to her, and she smiled at Kate.

“I’m Kate. Todd,” she said, holding out a hand.

“Delilah Fielding, I’m Tim’s girlfriend. So you were here ten years ago, any good blackmail?” Delilah asked with a smile.

“Delilah!” McGee said, a little unhappy.

“What? It’s nice to see fresh blood. Besides Tony ran out of stories ages ago,” she pouted a little, then turned to Gibbs, “Any interesting cases?”

“No. You?”

“Not remotely. And still lots of secrets.”

McGee chuckled to himself, and Gibbs rolled his eyes, “Oh get a room.”

“We have one,” Delilah informed him.

Kate was watching the exchange, amused and mystified. McGee had a steady girlfriend, a gorgeous one to boot, but she was curious about the wheelchair.

Delilah caught her staring, “Something wrong, Kate?”

“No, I’m just wondering about-,”

“The wheelchair? Terrorists are mean,” she smiled a little.

“I get that, trust me,” Kate said dryly back.

She and Delilah smiled at each other, before Delilah turned to Tim, “Now you were taking me for brunch?”

“Why don’t you sit with us?” Kate offered. Whatever moment she and Gibbs had been sharing was gone, but she didn’t mind somehow with Delilah and McGee being the ones interrupting. It was useful, before Gibbs actually ran out of things to say, for him to be distracted.

“Oh we wouldn’t want to intrude-,” Tim started,

“We’d love to,” Delilah cut him off, and Gibbs slid over, letting McGee in beside him.

“So what were you asking about blackmail?” Kate asked, and poor McGee looked terrified.

“Oh I just want to know if there’s anything I should know about Tim here, since I have to live with him,”

Kate was a little uncomfortable, “Well…. It’s been a few years, I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask.”

“Sure you are. You knew him back when he was a- what did Tony call you again, Tim?”

“Probie,” McGee muttered resentfully, and Kate smiled at a long-withheld memory. Tony had loved torturing him.

“He was very fond of ties, and unwilling to hurt a lady,” Kate said, “If I recall that made me able to kick his ass. I’d warn you- he’s too much of a gentleman.”

“Is he now?” Delilah asked, looking at him, “Not my Timothy McGee.”

“I’m guessing he’s grown up a lot in the past few years,” Kate grinned at him, and he managed a smile back. She figured he’d been hurt when she’d left too. But she didn’t know where he’d hidden his pain.

“McGee here is a famous author,” Gibbs chimed in.

Kate turned to him, “What?”

“Tell her, Gemcity.”

“I’m an author. Well- I write about….”

“The team,” Delilah cut in, “He wrote fanfiction for Tony and Ziva and put it into his novel. There is something inherently wrong about that.”

“You said you liked my writing,” Tim said.

“I do, sweetheart, but still… you wrote fanfiction about your co-workers.”

Kate laughed, “As long as I wasn’t in these books.”

“You weren’t,” he promised.

“No, you didn’t make the cut in the continuing adventures of L. J. Tibbs,” Gibbs rolled his eyes.

She looked between them, “Why do I feel like this caused problems?”

“Oh Ziva only threatened to kill me over it once-,”

“More like twice,” Gibbs cut in.

“And Tony just mercilessly teased me forever.” He said.

“Of course he did.”

The waitress came by, and refilled coffee, taking orders for food, and Kate could almost forget that she and Gibbs had had some kind of moment. And she could also forget they had to get to work.

Gibbs was smiling, and talking to people- she had been away a lot longer than she’d realized. Ten years was a long time, and looking at Tim she realized just how much she’d missed of her team’s life.

She caught Gibbs’ eye, and he managed a smile, but she couldn’t find it in her at that moment to smile back. She was feeling guilty again, for leaving. A thought that had plagued her night after night for ten years.

Oh she knew what she had to do. Or more appropriately, not do.

She couldn’t dare walk away again.


End file.
